Wicked Game
by zoeliemyers
Summary: When she arrived at the Sanctuary that changed. She saw something in their leader, some glimmer of hope beneath all the bad. For Negan, he saw a second chance. She was his new start. But, could things last or will their love just be another fatality in life's wicked game?
1. Prologue

_You are my sunshine._

She quietly sang to herself as the damp ground sank under her heavy steps, the squishing of the mud echoing in her ears. Branches snagged and scraped her skin and her shirt as she helplessly searched for the road she knew was close by. Her arms hugged her thin, shaking frame. Heavy rain poured from the sky in sheets, soaking her bloody clothes.

_My only sunshine._

She whispered, the last word barely audible. A walker came out from the dense foliage, throwing its frigid hands onto her, knocking her off balance and causing her boot to slip in the mud. She fell to her knees, quickly becoming drenched and grimy as the mud began to sink in. The walker fell against her, scraping and biting endlessly, trying to sink his teeth into his next meal. She blocked the attack with her arms, only able to put up enough resistance to keep it from biting her. She needed to fight back but she just didn't have the strength. She bit the inside of her cheek and closed her eyes tightly as the walker thrashed about above her.

"Mom!" The single word echoed through the vast forest.

Her eyes snapped open as she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She shoved upwards with all her might, sending the walker tumbling off her. She quickly rose to her feet, slipping about in the mud. She brought her boot down in the walker's face, stomping repeatedly until one couldn't tell where it's head ended and the ground began.

She straightened, her lungs desperate for air. She looked around frantically trying to find the source of the yell but found nothing. She started to laugh to herself out of disbelief and exasperation "I must be losing it."

"Mom!" The word came again, this time sounding not too far off in the distance. "Where are you?!"

She spun around in the direction of the familiar voice. "Henry!" she yelled, making her way towards the call. She grasped the nearby trees to help keep her footing, pushing away the wet and mud covered hair that clung to the side of her face. "Henry, answer me!"

"Mom!" The voice came again closer than before.

She pushed herself, now running, slipping and sliding as she did, but she was determined. She came to a halt in a clearing. This was the place, it had to be, but there was no one there. She fell to her knees as tears starting pouring from her eyes and mixed with the rain.

She rested her hands on her knees, bowing her head. Her sobs rippled through her tiny cold, aching frame, echoing off the trees. They were quickly lost in the sounds of nature as thunder rumbled and lightning tore through the sky. "Henry!" she screamed clenching her chest.

She knew he wouldn't be there, deep down, she knew. He was gone. He had been gone for a long time now. They all had been.

A feeling of warmth flooded her senses as a pair of hands grabbed her arms and gathered her from the ground. Pulling her close to their body sending shivers down her. They didn't say anything, just held her close.

She pulled away from them, taking a few steps away. She kept her head low as her breathing came in ragged gulps, she tried to catch her breath. Once again she fell to her knees, her whole body growing numb as she looked to the sky. Her eyes grew heavy. She thought to herself that maybe it wouldn't hurt to close them, if only for a minute.

Her breathing evened out, as she slipped away.

_Please don't take my sunshine away._


	2. ONE

The virus went global, and no one knew how it traveled so quickly. There was no cure, no vaccine. The CDC was baffled, and the public had been kept in the dark. Nothing could combat the uncontrollable spreading. No one could even say how it started.

One day, everything was fine and the next it was utter chaos. Whole cities were destroyed, bombed, burned to nothing. Everyone always thought that life ended at the moment you died, but suddenly that changed. In the new world, the moment you die something changes, you come back, lacking everything that made you...you. Driven only by hunger, never held back by sickness, exhaustion, wounds, broken bones. The dead roamed the streets. They owned the world.

The dead grew in numbers, eventually, there were more of them than the living. All calls for help were soon ignored as the government and it's militaries fell. The promise of salvation, the hope that the world would one day return to its former glory had withered away just like everything else.

Within just a few months the human race, as the world had known it, was on the road to extinction. Any sense of hope or morality came crashing down with it. Those who were most hardy, violent, or resourceful had a good chance of survival. Those who depended on the kindness of others, those who held on too tight to principles of human decency...those people were among the first to die.

For Zoelie, Living was no longer an option. Living was a luxury, and in this world, it was only about surviving. Always running, always on the move, searching for a safe place to rest. Her life and family before the end was now were nothing but a fading memory. And with each memory, she lost a piece of herself.

She leaned over the small bathroom sink, splashing water on her face, she let out a sigh of relief as the cool water hit her hot skin. opening her eyes she looked in the cracked bathroom mirror pushing her dirty blonde hair back out of her face, the light that filtered in through the open door of the tiny gas station bathroom highlighted the droplets that rolled down her warm ivory skin. She winced as a ringing sensation flooded her senses. Squeezing her eyes shut, she brought her hands up over her ears until the noise dissipated.

"Again?"

Standing up straight she opened her eyes, turning to her daughter. The worried look in her eyes pained her, it wasn't her job to worry about her.

"Yeah..I'm fine though," she tried her best to reassure the girl.

"I don't believe you," she said crossing her arms. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Han, you don't have to worry about me, I-"

"But I do," She raised her voice cutting her mother off without a second thought. Normally she wouldn't dare raise her voice or interrupt an adult but she had had enough. She was tired of seeing her in pain. "Y-you don't take care of yourself. You hardly eat because that means more for me and Rox. I've already lost one mom...I can't lose you too."

"Han.." she began but trailed off. She didn't know what to say. Other then she was right. Hannah had lost her biological parents early on in the outbreak, so when Zoelie had found her, she latched onto her for dear life. Literally. Hannah had quickly taken to calling her mom, much to her dismay. The word a painful reminder. But Hannah was persistent and she eventually caved and let the young girl in. Adopting her as her own.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I..I just.. you're my main priority. I can't, I won't let anything happen to you," she tried to find the right words to appease her.

Hannah sighed and looked down at the ground feeling a wave of guilt come over her. She kicked her foot back and forth, throwing up a little bit of dust. She was about to speak when she felt her mother's warm embrace. She looked up at her.

Zoelie put her hands on her cheeks and brushed her red locks back from her face. "My sweet girl. I appreciate you worry about me but this ain't my first rodeo. Now I'm gonna finish washing up, you go keep Aunt Rox company."

"Okay," She said standing back and saluting her before going back outside.

The minute Hannah was out of sight her smile fell and doubled over, sucking in air as a hunger pain came over her. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the edge of the sink to keep her up.

"Mom!"

She snapped her head up at the sound of Hannah's panic yell. She stumbled out of the bathroom, pulling her gun from its holster. She frantically looked around but they were nowhere in sight. Then came another yell and she bolted in the direction, Pure adrenaline coursed through her as she ran as fast as her feet would carry her.

She came to a skidding stop as she rounded the corner of the building. There in front of the gas station stood a handful of men with assault rifles in hand. One guy was off alone dragging Hannah now gagged to their truck where Roxanna already sat in the bed.

Something in her snapped at the sight and she saw red. She charged the man despite the fact he was at least two if her combined. She didn't care. Her gun drawn, she fired off a shot that grazed his shoulder.

He let out a pained holler as e released his hold of Hannah, his hand instantly going to his wound. He quickly turned on his heels to see who had fired the shot. Just barely catching on a glimpse of Zoelie before he was taken to the ground as she caught him off guard.

He barely had time to process what was happening before being hit in the face in rapid succession. She didn't stop after a few blows either, she kept going until his face resembled that of the works of Jackson Pollock.

The rest of the man's group was caught completely stunned at the scene before them, no one knew what to do as they watched this tiny woman beat a full-grown man into submission.

Zoelie stopped her assault, sitting back out of breath, her hands, shaking bloodied messes. Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, she looked up just as the butt of a rifle made contact with her head. Knocking her out cold.

"Four. Three. Two. One." she whispered softly to herself.

It wasn't long before she heard the faint melody of Easy Street once again coming from the cell next to hers. After 3 days, She had it memorized word for word and could time when it would play at this point. It would play in ten-minute intervals at a time through multiple cells, thankfully hers was not one, unfortunately, the walls weren't as thick as one might think and she could still hear it. It wasn't long before she found herself singing along and during the ten minutes, she would focus her mind on the leaky pipe. She found she could keep her mind from the darkness that surrounds her.

"We're on easy street, And it feels so sweet," she sang quietly along. "'Cause the world is 'bout a treat."

The rubbing of metal against metal rang throughout the tiny cell as the door creaked open. The sound deafening in the tiny cell.

She brought her arms up shielding her eyes from the light that entered, pulling her legs closer to her body as a way of securing herself. She didn't remove her arms from her face until she heard footsteps approaching her.

Moving her arms she looked up at the person that had come into the room. The figure blocking the light in the hallway and casting a shadow over her. He was tall, 6'1"- 6'2" at most, dark hair, a dark beard, possibly greying but she couldn't tell in the light, she just could see lighter spots. But the thing that stood out to her the most was his dark piercing eyes, she felt as though they were cutting right into her.

His attire simple, black leather jacket, loose pants, Moto boots, what looked like a white t-shirt. A belt that was clearly there more for looks than actually holding up his pants. One leather glove was on his right hand and in that hand was a baseball bat covered in barbed wire.

"Well, damn sweetheart, aren't you sight for sore eyes," he spoke, his voice deep and gravely, with a hint of what could only be described as playfulness.

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes, not saying a word. This must be him, the one they had talked about. Negan. The big man himself. Their meeting had been delayed by his absence, "taking care of business" is what the man that brought her 'food' would say.

He chuckled at her response or lack thereof, it was something he was used too. She was not the first nor would she be the last person to be held in one of his cells. But there was something different about this one, usually, his cells were reserved for people that wronged him in some way, people he needed to break. Yet, here she was. He had never laid eyes on this woman before and Negan was certainly one to remember a pretty face.

Negan kneeled down, resting his bat between his legs and leaning on it. "Now don't be shy. Here I'll introduce myself first. I'm Negan."

He waited a few seconds for a response but she only continued to glare at him. He ran a hand through his scruff sighing. Standing back up, he turned to a man that stood directly outside the door. "D. Why is she in a cell?"

"One of the groups brought her and two others back from a supply run. Said that they had found them on the side of the road. She's a threat." The man answered.

Negan raised a brow looking back at her and then back at him. "A threat?" Negan said trying his best to hide his amusement. "Dwight. Tell me, does she look like a threat to you?"

"N-no," Dwight answered him, stuttering. "But she did put Keith in the infirmary. Doc doesn't think he'll make it. She did a number on his face."

"With what? Her fists?" Negan asked sarcastically.

"Yes, Sir."

"Really?" Negan said in disbelief. He couldn't believe it, this tiny woman was able to put a large man like Keith in the infirmary. They had to be messing with him.

Turning back around, he held his bat up to her face, pressing the Barb's into the bottom of her chin, making her look up at him. He wanted her to know just how serious he was. "I'm not gonna ask again. What's your name?"

"Zoelie."

"Zoelie, that's a really pretty name. I've never heard it before." He smirked. "So you put one of my men in the infirmary?"

"Yes," she said, keeping her answers short.

"Care to explain why?"

"He put his hands on my kid."

The words made him grit his teeth. Kids were one of Negan's soft spots, that and a pretty face. He kept his eyes on her and motioned for Dwight to come forward. "I see. Dwight, where are the people she was brought in with?"

"Cells 8 and 10." He answered quickly.

"I want them released. But don't bring them over here yet. I wanna have a talk with Ms. Zoelie." Negan harshly ordered looking over his shoulder at him. "now."

"Yes, sir!" Dwight said before swiftly walking away to do as told.

Negan turned his full attention back on Zoelie, offering his ungloved hand out for her to take. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I would like to say I am very sorry for the trouble my men have caused you." He apologized looking down at her sympathetically but the emotion didn't reach his eyes.

She stared at his hand and then to his face, her green hazel eyes locking with his dark hazel eyes. The look in his pinned her in place, the utter lack of emotion in them sent a shiver down her spine. Zoelie wasn't afraid of many people but just the way this man carried himself scared the hell out of her. Something in her told her that if she didn't take her hand, he'd surely get her up by force. So, she hesitantly reached her hand up and took hold of his.

He pulled her from the ground quickly, not taking into account how little she weighed at this point, the force causing her to fall into him. He grabbed her arms firmly to steady her. She didn't look up at him, she wouldn't. Keeping her head down she could feel his eyes burning into her.

He tightened his grip around her biceps so she couldn't pull away. Leaning his head down he whispered in her ear, in a low, gravelly voice. "If you wanted to get close to me you could've just said so."

She felt a shiver go down her spine but this time not in fear. He was so close she could feel his breath on her neck. She shoved him away from her and took a step back, glowering.

"Don't touch me," she said through gritted teeth. Holding her hands close to her body. It was then Negan noticed the bruising on her knuckles and he knew just then what Dwight had told him was true. It sparked his curiosity.

"You are feisty. I love it." His lips curled upward into a large toothy grin. He was proud of himself. "I'm only joking darling. But honestly, I would not mind getting close to you." He spoke looking her up and down. "Would not mind at all."

She scrunched her nose, her face reflecting the disgust she felt by his words and actions. But her reaction only seemed to fuel him. She opened her mouth to say something but was stopped when she heard footsteps fast approaching.

"Mom!"

Zoelie snapped her head towards the noise, catching her breath as she laid eyes on her daughter for the first time in three days. "Han."

Hannah didn't wait for an invitation, she was past Negan and in Zoelie's arms in a matter of seconds. She nuzzled her face into her, wrapping her arms tightly around her. Zoelie returned her embrace, wrapping her arms firmly around her shoulders, placing a kiss on the top of her head. Her features softened as she looked down at her daughter. She moved back and cupped her cheeks giving her a once over.

"Did they hurt you?" she asked gently.

"No," she said, her tone distressing. She moved her mother's hands from her cheeks and buried her face back into her sniffling and trying to contain her cries.

"Shh..." she tried her best to soothe her. She looked up from her and past Negan where their other companion stood next to Dwight. She removed a hand from Hannah's back and held it out for her "Rox?"

"Oh, Zoe." Roxanna sniffled walking over to the girls and taking her hand.

"What a sweet family reunion." Negan interrupted, a guinea smile tugging at the corners of his lips at the scene in front of him. It truly warmed his heart. "Now, I'm gonna have Laura here take you all to get cleaned up and get some food in ya. After I would like you to come and have a chat with me?"

"We would just rather leave now," Zoelie said bitterly.

Negan grinned and let out a chuckle, "I'm sorry but that is not an option. Now, I hate to be rude but I have some business to attend to. Laura, you know your orders."

Negan turned and left the cell before any of them could protest. Dwight followed behind him as he signaled for him too. Dwight throwing one last apologetic glance their way before disappearing up the stairs. Laura stepped into view, she didn't make eye contact and was rather aloof. Like this was all an inconvenience to her, as if she actually had something better to do.

"Follow me." She spoke to them curtly.

Zoelie and Roxanna shared a look realizing the gravity of their situation. They were hostages. It was almost as if on cue 'Easy Street' filled the hallway and this time, it didn't make her feel safe.


	3. TWO

"Zoelie right?"

She turned her attention to the door where a man stood. He was a somewhat lanky man with graying brown hair, and maybe around his mid-50s.

"Yes," she answered immediately, putting her guard up.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Zoelie. I'm Dr. Carson, but you can just call me Emmett if that makes you feel more comfortable. I know you're probably a little freaked out and must have a lot of questions," Dr. Carson introduced himself. His voice was soft, sensing how tense she was.

"A little freaked out?" she scoffed.

"Fair enough," Emmett sat down in the chair beside the bed, and pulling out a tiny flashlight from his shirt pocket. Leaning forward, he put a hand on her forehead and she instantly jerked away. "You were in pretty awful shape when they brought you in. I just need to check a few things."

"Okay," she said hesitantly relaxing as he gently rested his hand on her head and shone the flashlight in her eye, check both one before sitting back and putting away the flashlight.

"Everything looks good. I have to ask you a few questions, is that alright? It's Just to get a good idea of your medical history."

"Yeah, ask away."

"Do you have any allergies and do you take any medications?" He clicked his pen, ready to take notes.

"I have a peanut allergy, other than that no. For medications, I'm supposed to take Antidepressants and an SSRI for my PTSD, but I haven't taken them for a long time. Obviously. Also, I 'need' an inhaler, but it's not a big deal," Emmett made note of what she said. "I see. What do you need the inhaler for?"

"Asthma," She answered as she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back some and pulling her legs up onto the table crossing them.

"Ah," He nodded, taking note, "On to the basics. Age?"

"Is that necessary?" she asked, impatient and wanting out from under Negan's intense stare.

"Just answer the question." Negan's voice came from the doorway. Turning her head, she glanced in his direction. He stood there leaning against the doorframe, his bat hung loosely in his hand at his side.

"37. 5'4", about 130 lbs give or take, been a while since I weighed myself. Not sexually active, I drink, I smoke occasionally, " She clicked her tongue, looking at Emmett who was writing what she was saying, "I miss Anything?" she asked with a slight smirk.

Negan just looked at her, his eyes filled with curiosity. "You're a bit of a smartass."

"Never claim to not be."

"Fair enough," He said, walking over to where she sat, looking her up and down as he did. A smirk played on his lips as he looked down at her, "So, I think this 'exam' is over. Laura?"

"Sir?" Laura asked, stepping into the room.

"Hurry things up," He said as he turned away from Zoelie and walking to the door, whistling to himself, swinging his bat up to rest on his shoulder. He slowed down a bit once he was in the door frame and looked back, stealing one last glance at her before turning the corner, whistles echoing down the hall as he made it further away.

"Yes, Sir."

Zoelie got up from the exam table and bid goodbye to Dr. Carson before following Laura out into the hallway where Hannah and Roxanna stood waiting.

"Come on, we'll go get you some supplies," Laura said, already halfway down the hallway.

"Welcome to the marketplace."

Laura leads them into a large room bustling with noise. Zoelie's gaze came to rest on the rows of tables with people waiting. Half the tables filled with various household items like pillows, blankets, rugs, Candles, lamps, and food tables were selling bread, vegetables, canned goods, and meat.

There were several visitors milling about. The aroma of fresh herbs and ripening berries mixed with fragrances of homemade soaps and candles filled Zoelie's senses as she drew a deep breath.

"What they writing down?" Hannah asked Laura.

"Whenever someone 'buys' something they get points reduced," Laura explained. "Here we work on a point system much like how things worked before everything went to hell. You work for points and with those points, you can buy the things you need with them. Not everything costs the same amount of points, though. Luxury items and medicine cost more...unless you're one of Negan's men, then you don't have points and you get everything handed to you."

"Oh, that doesn't seem fair," Hannah said.

"Yeah, but our jobs are harder. We leave the sanctuary to gather supplies and we protect the sanctuary," Laura said, crossing her arms.

"What happens if you don't have enough points for what you need?" Zoelie asked, looking at Laura.

"Then you don't get it."

"Oh…well, we don't have points."

"I know, but the first time is on the house, Go pick out some clothes, just tell the people at the table you're with me," Laura said grabbing a wicker basket from a nearby table, she went around to various tables and filled it with fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, a few cans of stuff, as they went to the clothing table.

Hannah grabbed the first things she saw in her size, which was a mustard yellow oversized hoodie, black jeans, and dark brown timberland boots. She also grabbed a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants to sleep in. Roxanna opted for just grabbing a light blue v-neck top, a pair of blue jeans and black ankle boots. Zoelie was hesitant at first. She didn't want to owe these people anything.

"Mom, look at this!" Hannah exclaimed, holding up a t-shirt with a cat on it.

"Isn't that cute," Zoelie chuckled at how excited she was over something so simple. She sighed and caved, grabbing a red and black plaid shirt, blank cami, and dark blue jeans. She didn't need new boots because hers were still in decent shape.

"Laura, what's that?" Roxanna asked as she approached them. She pointed to the other side of the room where sheets hung up, acting as dividers.

"That's the sleeping quarters for the workers," Laura said. "Let's go, we have more to do."

She leads them out of the marketplace and down a string of corridors before coming to the 'shower room'. The room was large with old rusty lockers that lined one wall while mirrors and sinks lined the side opposite of them. Wooden benches were placed in rows in the middle of the room, and on the back wall were 5 shower stalls.

"I'll be waiting outside," Laura said as she stepped out into the hall.

Zoelie walked over, setting her things down on one bench and grabbing a towel that lay folded nicely on a shelf by the shower stalls. She stepped into the nearest stall and closed the curtain before she undressed. She quickly discarded her clothing and turned on the water, letting it warm up a bit before stepping in. She let out a slight laugh as she brought her hand under the showerhead. It had been so long, a year to be exact, since she had a hot shower.

She stepped into the shower and allowed the hot water to soothe her aching muscles, the steam from the shower soon became thick and filled the air as the water washed away the dirt and blood that clung to her. In the next stall, she could hear Hannah let out of a laugh as the water hit her and it brought a smile to her face. Once the water turned cold, she turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body. She quickly dressed in the clothes she had gotten from the marketplace before walking out of the shower stall and made her way over to the bench where Roxanna and Hanna stood already finished with their showers, drying her hair with a towel.

"What's the plan?" Roxanna asked, sitting down on the edge of a bench, pulling on one of her boots.

"There is no plan," Zoelie sighed, pulling on a new, clean plaid button up.

"So, we're just gonna let them keep us as hostages?" Roxanna scoffed.

"Well, by definition we're not really Hostages." Hannah corrected her. "We're more of detainees or prisoners."

"Whatever Han," she snapped at the girl before turning back to Zoelie. "They have no reason to keep us here."

"Well...mom did almost kill one of their ow-"

"They were trying to kidnap us to begin with!" She exclaimed, cutting her off.

Zoelie turned her back to Roxanna, pulling her damp hair into a ponytail, she bit her bottom lip as she mulled over what to do. "For now, we need to just keep our heads down, do as we're told."

"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" Roxanna huffed, crossing her arms.

"I'm only thinking about our survival. We don't know who these people are or what they want. And the leader…" she paused, thinking back to their earlier encounter. "He's not normal."

"That's even more of a reason to get the fuck out of here!' Roxanna exclaimed

Zoelie turned, facing her. "Stop it. You wanted me to make a plan, come to a decision, and this is it. Now, Stop." Her tone was forceful, her mouth set in a tight line. Her entire demeanor changed in a split second, and only momentarily she resembled the great colonel she once had been.

Zoelie's words instantly shut Roxanna up. She threw her hands up in defeat before turning away to finish getting dressed.

"Good, you're dressed," Laura said, walking into the room. "Negan would like to speak to you now."

The girls gathered their things with Laura stopped them. "He only wants to speak to you," she said, pointing at Zoelie.

"Me? Why me?" she asked confused.

"Take a seat anywhere."

She sat down on the large black leather couch and looked around the room, absorbing her surroundings. The room was pleasant. Not at all what she had expected. It looked as though it he had it professionally decorated. Four-poster bed made up nicely. A variety of small end tables with lights, two black and white chevron patterned chairs that decorated with brown fluffy pillows sat opposite of the couch. In between the couch and the chairs was a metal glass-top coffee table. A variety of tables scattered around the room. Some had lights on them, others held decorative clutter items. Pictures and a variety of animal heads lined the surrounding walls, and the ugliest chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling. There was even a fireplace on the wall behind them. Everything was in place, perfectly staged.

Negan came up from behind her and took a seat in the chair closest to the door. He could see her looking around the room. He leaned back, resting a hand in his lap while the other rested on the armrest, and his right leg brought up over his left. He was waiting for her to notice him, but quickly grew impatient. He cleared his throat to draw her attention. She brought her glance forward and sat back in her seat, hands placed in her lap.

"Can I get you anything? Water? Food? Name it and it's yours," Negan offered with a big grin.

Silence. It was so quiet you could probably hear a needle drop.

Negan glanced away. "No, okay."

He cleared his throat once again and leaned forward in his seat, his eyes focusing on her.

"Zoelie, right?"

More silence followed.

"You don't have to answer, I'd never forget a pretty name like that, especially when it belongs to such a pretty face."

Zoelie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, scrunching up her nose in disgust at his poor attempt at flirting. Her reaction only seemed to fuel him though as a grin spread across his face and he chuckled.

"You really aren't going to say anything? Wow," he said in amazement. He sat back, shaking his head.

She narrows her eyes at him and sat forward in her seat, "What do you want?"

"So, she can speak!" he grinned even wider. "We'll get to that later. I want to know about you. I Know! I want to play a game!"

"What kind of game?" she questioned, tilting her head in curiosity.

"Twenty questions. Well, not so much twenty questions, maybe 5. It's pretty fucking simp-"

"I know what twenty questions is," she said, cutting him off. She sat back a bit and crossed her arms, staring at him in confusion.

Negan nodded, trying to keep his cool after she had interrupted him. "Alright, first off. You will not interrupt me. Second, I will be the one asking questions. You will not ask me a single fucking thing, understand?"

"Alright. Fair enough, I suppose," she said.

"Good. Good. Where are you from?" He questioned.

"Portland, Maine," She answered.

"Really? Interesting. What brought you out this way?"

"We were told DC was safe, or at least safer...but it looks like they were wrong."

"Yeah...DC went to shit quick...So um tell me, what did you do before the world went to shit?"

"I was a detective, before that I was a Marine."

"Really? That's interesting," he said genuinely. "How long did you serve?"

"14 years, joined right out of high school."

"Impressive. We could use someone like you. What about that girl with you? I believe you called her Rox."

"She was also a detective. We were partners."

"Nice. So you both know what you're doing. That's good. I could use people like you."

"I suppose…Negan?" she asked as if asking for permission to speak.

"Yes?"

"When can we leave?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Well...you won't be," he said, grinning.

"Why not?" she asked, her voice straining as she tried to keep her cool.

"You put one of my men in the infirmary. That is something I will not overlook."

She scoffed. "This is...your men attacked us first, I was just protecting my child."

"So I've heard. But that's coming from you. My men tell a different story."

"Of course, they're going to tell you something different," she got up from her spot on the couch and paced the room, running her hands through her hair. "This is unbelievable."

"Zoelie," Negan said softly, standing up from his spot directly in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

"This isn't fair," she said through clenched teeth. "You can't keep us here."

"I can and I will," he said, smirking and leaning forward, getting eye level with her. "Do you understand?"

How she wished she could wipe that smirk off his face. She was growing more and more annoyed and irritated. "You have no right."

"Have I introduced you to Lucille yet?" His grin got wider. But it didn't convey happiness, rather it sent a shiver down her spine and sent a knot to the pit of her stomach.

"No, you haven't," she said, hoping he couldn't see the hairline cracks in her fearless facade. Negan walked around to behind the couch and picked up his bat from the table it rested on. Zoe raised a brow, 'dear lord this man is crazy,' was all she could think. "Huh?"

"This is Lucille, and she is awesome!" He exclaimed in an almost child-like manner. He walked back over to the couches, slow and determined.

"Lucille is a baseball bat?" She questioned in complete disbelief. The way he looked at that moment, holding Lucille, the awestruck gleam in his eyes genuinely fascinated her.

"Lucille here, she helps keep things in line. You do anything...and I do mean anything that goes against me or this group...and you and Lucille will spend some very up close and personal time together," he said, bringing Lucille down, holding her inches from Zoelie's face. "So you will stay here and you will do as you are told. Do you understand?"

All she could do is give a nod. It was then she saw it, the fascination, the power he had, and the power she lost.

"Now things work a little differently here. We have rules. A system," Negan said, beginning to explain how things worked at The Sanctuary, but she didn't hear a word after system. His voice became background noise to her as she zoned out. The gravity of their situation looming over her.

"Zoelie?" Roxanna snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Huh?"

"We were going over the pros and cons of staying here."

"Oh, right...yeah sorry," she blinked a few times and pushed back her hair. "So what do we have?"

"Umm Pros, gives us a safe, dry, mildly clean place to stay..um cons the point system is pretty messed up...we're sleeping on cots surrounded by a bunch of people that honestly I doubt we can really trust," Hannah lowered her voice as she listed off things.

"Oh, and this is basically a cult," Zoelie added on.

"yeah 'safe'," Roxanna said rolling her eyes.

"Well, we are," Hannah mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Whatever," Roxanna scoffed and plopped down on her cot.

Zoelie lied down on her cot and looked up at the ceiling. "We should just try to get some sleep...It's late and the last thing I want to do is disrupt other people."

"Fine," Roxie scoffed, laying down on her cot and turning her back to Hannah and Zoelie. "Night."

"Can I sleep with you?" Hannah asked, sitting down beside Zoelie.

"Sure," Zoelie smiled and rolled over onto her side as Hannah snuggled into bed with her. Zoelie wrapped her arms around her and rested her head on top of hers.

"We are safe right mom?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice cracking. Kissing the top of her head, she pulled her closer. "Yeah, we are."


	4. THREE

Zoe stood in the living room of her former home. She spun around quickly as she heard the floorboards squeak. Her eyes hesitantly followed the source of the noise, once landing upon their intended target she stood there awestruck for there stood her son, Henry.

"Momma! Come play with me!" He grinned at her before taking off up the stairs laughing. She closed her eyes, reveling in the noise which once fed her own joy. It was such a simple, elementary thing, one she had forgotten how much she'd missed. Her eyes opened again, and she darted after him.

"Henry, wait up!" She ran up the stairs, trying desperately to catch up, but the closer she got, the farther he'd go. Before she knew it, the hallway had turned to his empty playroom and Henry had disappeared. She stopped dead in her tracks, but he nearly knocked her over as he ran by her from behind.

"Come on, Momma! Take my hands!" His words, light and playful, echoed restlessly in the room. She grabbed him by the hands and picked him up, pulling him tightly into a hug. He leaned up, his breath cold on her as he whispered in her ear, "They're coming, momma. You can't escape them. They're coming for us...for you," his words, now lacking the cheerful tone, were hollow and eerie. She felt his nails dig into her forearms. She gasped and attempted to break free of his clutches, but with every struggle, he only dug deeper, drawing blood.

"Henry..." she pleaded, confused and afraid.

Pulling her by the bloodied arms, he brought her ear down to his level. Tears pricked her eyes, unaware of what he was trying to do.

"Wake up," he whispered.

A sharp gasp escaped her throat as her eyes snapped open. Sitting upright and tossing the covers to the side, she put her hand to her forehead, wiping away the sweat that had gathered above her brow. Her breathing ragged and sharp and her heart made its way back down from her throat, every muscle in her tired body aching. She fell back onto her cot, limp with relief.

That same nightmare. The one that plagued her dreams almost every night. They always left her feeling more tired than she was when she went to sleep. She let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes tightly, but they quickly snapped open as she realized the spot next to her was empty. Sitting up, she looked around before spotting Hannah asleep in her own cot, having moved during the night.

She pulled her covers back and got up from the cot; she had no idea what the time was but everyone else was still asleep it seemed; giving her some peace. Sitting down, she quietly pulled on her boots and grabbed her jacket from off the trunk at the end of her bed, putting it on over her pajamas. She lifted herself up off the floor and quietly left the sleeping area.

She ran her fingertips along the rough cinder block walls as she traveled the labyrinth of corridors, all of them cold and lifeless than the last.

"When the night has come...And the land is dark."

"I didn't expect to find anyone crawling the halls this late."

"And the moon is the only light we'll s-" She stopped dead in her tracks, her head snapping in the voice's direction. She could barely make out his shape in the hall's darkness, but she knew exactly who it was. She'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Ben E King, right?" he asked, walking over to her.

"What?" she said, pulling her jacket closed and crossing her arms.

"The song, it's by Ben E King, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Thought so," he grinned. He loved being right. "I see I wasn't the only one that couldn't sleep...do you always wonder empty hallways at night?"

"No..not normally...I just…well, I get little sleep these days."

He nodded his head in understanding before turning his back to her and beginning to walk away. "Take a walk with."

"I should pr-"

"That wasn't a suggestion," he admonished, looking back at her over his shoulder.

She nodded silently and quickly joined him, keeping a step or two behind him. He led her up the stairway and through a set of doors, finally coming to a stop on the catwalk that overlooked the factory floor that held the sleeping quarters and marketplace. He rested one hand on the railing and motioned her over with the other. She hesitantly complied.

"Tell me, what do you think of me?" He asked, his voice just barely over a whisper.

"Truthfully? I think you're an asshole."

"Well damn doll," he laughed. "I suppose you have every reason to think that."

"You suppose? You haven't exactly been very hospitable."

"I gave you a place to sleep, clean clothes, food and a place to clean up..and I'm not being hospitable?" he scoffed, looking at her in disbelief.

"You also locked us in cells for three days, and are now continuing to hold us here against our will...and the way we've had this place described to us, it sounds more like a prison then a haven...so I apologize if I sound a tad bit unappreciative but I'm not feeling very welcomed here," she held his gaze and didn't flinch, regaining her composure. Her bright hazel eyes staring him down, and it was he who turned away first. She knew that wasn't the answer he wanted, but it was the one he would get.

Negan just stood there dumbfounded, taken aback by her answer, but he nodded and took a step back, his eyes back on her. This woman, she was not what he had expected. She had balls and the strongest will he'd seen in a long time. She impressed him, which if you knew him, you'd know that was not very easy to do.

"I see...is that how you really feel?"

"Yes," she stood her ground, but she was screaming on the inside.

His face was unreadable, and she could stand it no longer. She opened her mouth, ready to say something, but he quieted her with a look and before she knew it he had her backed against the railing, and she was feeling claustrophobic. He didn't have her blocked completely from moving and she could easily get away, but he had her frozen in place. His eyes bore into her brain. His breath was hot on her face, causing a shiver to run down her spine. His eyes softened a bit as his free hand traced the lines of her face, fingers brushing the skin lightly as it came to a rest at her cheek, "Relax Doll. I ain't gonna hurt you." his amusement at the situation only fed into her fear.

"I asked for your opinion and I got it...can't fault you for that."

With shaking fingers, Zoe gripped his hand and pulled it away from her. She tried to project a calm she didn't feel, but what she really felt was her heart beating near a million miles a minute. Conflicted feelings and thoughts battled in her brain. She pushed him back, causing him to stumble a bit. It surprised her when he only laughed and ran a hand through his thick hair, his tongue licking his lower lip, "You got balls."

He continued to laugh as he turned away from her and walked over to the doors, resting his hand on the handle he turned looking at her, and for a long second, they exchanged no words.

He eventually turned his back on her, "I like that about you."

With that, he opened the door and disappeared into the dark, seemingly endless, hallway. She slid down to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest, quietly releasing a sigh of relief.

"Fuck."


	5. FOUR

Zoelie eventually found her way back to the sleeping quarters, tiptoeing her way over to her cot where Hannah still laid sound asleep in her cot. Letting out a deep sigh, she sat down on the edge of the empty cot that sat between Hannah and Roxanna as she continued to look over her sleeping form. Running her hands through her hair, she took in a deep breath and laid back onto the cot as she exhaled. The blanket swallowed her like a comforting hug. Leaving her feeling mentally drained from her encounter with Negan and she wanted nothing more than to relax, maybe catch a little of sleep before they had to be up for their first day of work, but her body wouldn't it, remaining on edge. How did they end up here? Why did they end up here?

"Where did you go?" Roxanna's voice came as a low whisper.

Zoelie rolled over onto her side facing Roxanna to find her looking at her. "I went for a walk, get a better feel for the place."

"Any escape routes?"

"None that I could see, he has people everywhere."

"Damn…"

"I know," she sighed.

"Maybe we should just try to wait it out, see how things go...I mean this place can't be any worse than being out there."

"Are you serious?" Zoelie's brow furrowed, and she sat up straight. "You haven't talked to Negan...there's something...not right about him and he's such an asshole."

"We also just only got here, we haven't given ourselves time to see the full potential in this place. Maybe Negan is only like now because we're new. He wants to establish authority or whatever."

"I don't kno-"

"Plus, do you remember how cold and off-putting you were towards Hannah."

"That's different. I never locked Hannah in a cell or held her hostage."

"Okay, okay, you have a point. I just think we shouldn't write this place off yet," Roxanna sighed and rolled over, looking at the ceiling.

Zoelie laid back onto the bed, covering her eyes with her arms. Letting out a groan. "It's not like we have a say anyway, we're stuck here."

"Alright, Listen up, I will be assigning jobs," Laura said, clipboard in hand, The girls sat on their cots, already changed and ready to start the day.

"What if we don't like the job we're assigned," said Hannah.

"Then you get over it," Said Laura harshly.

"Oh," Hannah mumbled, looking down at her small hands clasped in her lap.

An uneasy silence ensued. Laura stood there uncomfortably, fingers tapping against the clipboard. She didn't do well with kids, well she didn't do well with people but she was the more friendly one out of the lieutenants so she usually had to deal with the newcomers. "Um, where were we-"

"You were assigning our jobs," Zoelie said, crossing her arms.

"Right, alright so Hannah you will be in the garden. You'll report to Meredith. Roxanna, you're on kitchen duty, you'll report to Brooke, and lastly Zoelie you're in inventory. Eddie was in charge of it but there was an..incident and we haven't really had someone overlooking it since. So have fun with that mess."

"Oh joy," Zoelie said, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, so they will separate us?" Roxanna questioned.

"Yes, those were Negan's orders," Laura explained. Her walkie abruptly started going off. She reached down and silenced it. Turning away from the girls, she started walking away down the hall. "You should be able to find your way around on your own. I have stuff to do."

"We don't know where we're going!" Zoelie hollered after her.

"You'll have to figure it out, Negan needs me!" she yelled back before turning the corner and disappearing.

"And we tumble to the ground and then you say, I think we're alone now"

Zoelie sang low to herself as she looked through the endless list of supplies in the logbook. Her boot heel tapped against the metal bar of her stool as she bounced her leg to the rhythm of the song she was singing. The list was a complete mess. It wasn't much of a surprise considering that everyone and their brother was just writing whatever. It looked like at one point they just stopped bothering with the list altogether. Half the list wasn't even legible and the supply room was even worse, things were strewn all about. It was absolute chaos. How anyone could find anything was a miracle. And a miracle was what she would need to get this place in some order. She had been at this for a few hours now and she couldn't help but wonder who long it had been since they put someone in charge of the area. Why did Negan choose her for it? Was this punishment for being mouthy, for calling him an asshole?

"There doesn't seem to be anyone around, I think we're alone now..."

She trailed off as she let out a deep sigh and set the book down on her lap. Pinching the bridge of her nose and leaning back in her chair, she took her hair out of its tight ponytail with her free hand and let it fall in front of her face to relieve some pressure, trying her best to fight off the oncoming headache.

"The beating of our hearts is the only sound," Roxanna said, coming over to her and slung her arm around her shoulder. Making her jump a little.

"Jesus, don't do that," she glared at her.

"Someone's losing their touch, didn't even hear me," she teased, shaking her head.

"Shut up," she groaned, shrugging Roxanna's arm off her.

"Rude," Roxanna nudged her with her elbow in retaliation.

"I'm not in the mood. This is an absolute nightmare," she said, stretching her arms above her head." I feel like I'm being punished."

Roxanna gave her a sympathetic smile and turned away to look at some stuff, "Why do they even have some of this stuff?"

"Yeah, I know...there's a fucking casket in the corner," she said, looking back down at the logbook.

"You're kidding!" Roxanna exclaimed, walking over to it. "I don't even want to know why they have this."

"There are a few things I'm questioning. Like, why the fuck do we need a bowling pin set? It doesn't even have all its pins!" Zoelie laughed, shaking her head.

"Wow..tsk...So are you okay with this?" Roxanna asked, leaning against one shelf.

"Okay with what?" Zoelie asked, looking up at her, brow raised in confusion.

"You know, this.." she said motioning around them. "Being in here and living a nice quiet life as the 'supply' girl?"

"I don't really have a choice and weren't you the one telling me to give this place a chance?" she reminded her.

"True."

"Have you seen Han?"

"Nah, she's outside," she paused seeing the displeased look on Zoelie's face at her answer. "Don't worry. If we will be here, then you will have to learn to trust these people."

But she didn't, she couldn't. She didn't want to be there; she didn't want any part of what was happening in this place. She had heard things all morning, anyone that came to drop something off or pick something up from the supply room talked to her, she had gotten to know some interesting things about this place, and it disgusted her.

"No, just no. You haven't heard the things I have. The way this guy handles things..and-and he has, I think someone said, five wives."

"Yeah, I heard that I'm surrounded by other women, the amount of gossip I've heard today...I could fill a book," Roxanna let out an audible sigh and clicked her tongue standing up, "Well..I should probably get back to work. I've been told Negan gets cranky if he doesn't have his lunch on time." she said walking towards the door, "I'll see ya at quitting time."

"You're not helping your case of staying, I hope you know," she hollered at her as she exited the room.

She turned her back to the door and tried and focus on her task at hand, getting their supplies in order. Or at least attempt.

Roxanna got back to the kitchen just in time. As she was walking in the door a tray was being shoved into her hands by Brooke. "Take this to Negan, it's already a late, one of his wives is supposed to come and get it, but they haven't showed up yet...so hurry."

"O-okay," Roxanna said nervously, holding the tray. She didn't even know where she was going. This had to be a joke. Why were they sending her? Was everyone else busy or was this some hazing ritual.

Brooke must have realized this because she began rambling off directions to Negan's room. "...and big double doors, you really can't miss it. Now go!"

Even with directions, it still took her a long time to find his room. It didn't help that she had never been the one that was good at directions. But after endlessly searching and stopping multiple people to help, she had made it to the solid oak doors. Taking a deep shaky breath, she cautiously knocked on the door, praying to herself that he wasn't too mad.

"Who is it?!" A voice hollered from the other side of the door.

"Um, it's Roxanna, I have your lunch," she answered as calmly as possible. There was the sound of rustling and then heavy footsteps on the floor, the door flung open and there stood an annoyed Negan.

"About damn time, I've been waiting forever. Now don't just stand there. Put it on the table," he snarled, moving out of her way so she could come in.

"I apologize for the lateness, one of your wives was supposed to be by to get it and never showed up," she stammered as she placed the tray onto the coffee table.

"Really?" he questioned, his expression changed now to one of curiosity. "And which wife was this?"

"I don't know, I wasn't told her name."

"Hmm, I'll have to have a little chat with them later," he said sitting down on the couch.

"I could ask Brooke when I get back to the kitch-"

"No need," he said, cutting her off. He motioned his hand to the seat across from him. A smile now on his face. "Why don't you sit for a second, I haven't gotten the chance to have a chat with you."

"Yes, sir," she said, sitting down without a second thought.

"Roxanna, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sir?... Roxanna, are you scared of me?"

Was she? Was she scared of HIM or just the things she had heard? Now that she thought about it, the people she had talked to hadn't seemed all that scared of it. If anything, they sounded kind of proud.

"Not exactly, I don't know you so I can't say...but I have heard some things."

"Hmm, I see, well people love to talk," he nodded with a smile. He was perfectly aware of how his people felt about him. He had eyes and ears everywhere. " I will admit I haven't always been the most stand-up guy, but I do what I must do to protect my people."

"I understand."

"I'm glad you do because I don't think your friend does."

"Zoelie?"

"Yeah, she says I'm an asshole which I will not deny that I am," he said with a chuckle. Recalling their encounter he had had in the early hours of the morning. "She's got balls. Was she the one in charge before?"

"In charge? I wouldn't say one of us was in charge...we worked as a team."

"Right, I know for a fact that's bullshit. There's always someone in charge, someone to give the final say."

"Well, why do you think it's her? I could easily be the one in charge," she scoffed, crossing her arms. He was right in his assumption, but it still offended her.

"Oh, I see I've struck a nerve."

"No-no...Sir, if you don't mind I should really get back to work," she said, abruptly standing up.

"You are absolutely right, I shouldn't keep you from your duties. Go on," he grinned, waving her off.

Roxanna quickly left the room and headed back to the kitchen. 'What was that all about? Was he trying to start problems between them?' she wondered. She couldn't deny that he was right, even if none of them had said it. Zoelie had always given the final say. But she knew what she was doing, what needed to be done. She paused in front of one of the large industrial windows and allowed herself to enjoy the warm sun that shone through.

She sat there flipping through the book for a good hour before finally giving in. She tried her best, but it was no use; it was too much of a mess and people just kept bringing stuff in. "I might as well just start a whole new book, she mumbled to herself, throwing the book to the floor. She was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't even hear the footsteps as they approached.

"Giving up so soon?" Negan's voice came as a whisper in her ear.

She jumped from her stool frightened, her foot catching the bar, and hit the floor. The stool clattered down beside her. Her face grew flustered as she glared at him, "You scared the shit out of me!"

"Shit doll, you okay?" he said reaching a hand out to her genuine concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," she scoffed, taking his hand.

He helped her up off the ground, pulling her a little too close to him to her liking. "You sure?"

"Yeah..yeah. I'm fine," she said stepping away from him and letting go of his hand, "My ass hurts but I'm just peachy."

"I could check that out for you if you like," He said grinning, and she looked at him with disgust. "Just kidding."

"Uh-huh," she kept her eyes on him, piercing through him like daggers.

Leaning down, he picked her stool up off the floor and sat down on it. "So how's the management going?"

"Y'all are a bunch of damn animals. Have you ever heard of an organization system?" She huffed as she kneeled down and picked up a box off the floor.

"Yes, well, there is a reason for that," he said, looking around the room. He had never really been in this room, he had only ever glimpsed at it as he passed by. He never had a reason to be. He thought he had someone he could trust to monitor it. He hadn't realized how out of hand it had gotten.

"uh-huh, I'd love to hear it. I mean half this shit is pointless," she set the box down on the only empty surface in the room and rummaged through the box, pulling a few of the items out, one of them being "I mean, really? Pool balls? It's not even a full set and we don't have a pool table."

As much as it pained him to say it, she was right. They had too much unnecessary junk. He took another look around the room. It would take her days, no, weeks, to get this place in any kind of order. "Why don't you call it a day? I'll get someone in here to give you a hand first thing in the morning."

She stood there slack-jawed for a second. His sudden change in attitude surprised her. He would get her some help? It was a miracle.

"What? I know I'm good looking."

"Huh?" his words drew her from her thoughts and it was then she realized she had been mindlessly staring at him. "Um sorry...thank you."

He smiled and nodded as he stood from his chair. "Nah, no need to thank me, darling. You can't get this all done by yourself." He made his way to the door, lifting Lucille up to rest on his shoulder. "Don't forget to lock up before you leave. Don't want anyone getting in here."

"I won't," she said more to herself as he was already gone by the time she finished speaking. She crossed her arms and scoffed. "Rude." Letting out a sign, she gathered her jacket from a nearby table along with the keys. Leaving, she locked the door behind her and headed to give them back to Arat. Negan might trust her to organize the supply room, but he surely didn't trust her to keep the keys to said room on her person.

After handing off the keys to Arat, she made her way back to the sleeping quarters where she was relieved to find Hannah back already, relaxing in her cot reading a book. Having survived her first day.

"Move over kid," she said groaning in pain as she removed her jacket and threw it onto her own cot before joining Hannah in hers. Without hesitation, Hannah rolled over so she could lie down next to her. Hannah rolled her body back over so it was partially laying on top of her as Zoelie put an arm around her. "How was work?"

"Exhausting but I made some friends, one gave me their book to read," she answered, her eyes never leaving her book.

"That's nice, what is it?"

"Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. How was your day?"

"That's an excellent book. I remember having to read it in school. My day was awful, I'm stiff as a board."

"Uh-huh," Hannah replied, barely paying attention now.

"Room for one more?" Roxanna asked, yawning as she dragged herself into their little sleeping area. She didn't even wait for a reply before laying down on top of Hannah and Zoelie.

"Ugh, you're going to break the cot!" Hannah exclaimed, trying to shove her off of her.

"Just let me rest," Roxanna whined, barely budging.

Zoelie let out a light chuckle as she rubbed Roxanna's back. "Rough day?"

"I don't want to talk about it."


End file.
